Garden Bloggers Bloom Day August 2010
- The back yard seen from the deck. Other than the dead spot in the lawn, it’s doing well.
I write this post a day late and from the opposite coast. As I ran around the garden yesterday snapping shots of the various plants in bloom, I hardly had time to think about how the garden looks now that it’s mid-August. But now, looking at the photos, I think it’s doing pretty well 
- Bright colors provide contrast
My garden is designed to be in bloom from late February (when the early crocuses emerge) until mid-November (when cold weather finally puts an end to the colorful display). Strong, bright colors provide interest in August and hold their own in the heat and bright sun.
- Rosa ‘Mary Rose’, Heliopsis ‘Lorraine Sunshine’, and Echinacea ‘Green Jewel’
Bumble bees love the anemones
The garden is abuzz with the sound of flying insects all summer long, but it reaches a crescendo in late summer when the anenomes and sedums start to flower. Although they’re generally solitary creatures, it’s not unusual to find several bumble bees ‘sharing’ an anemone blossom.
Crocosmia 'Lucifer'
Although the crocosmia are nearing the end of their summer show, ‘Lucifer’ still provides a splash of cherry-red in the center of the garden. The hummingbirds love this plant and have been busy feeding at it all summer.
Clematis 'Betty Corning'
Clematis are one of my favorite plants but I have a particular fondness for ‘Betty Corning’. In my garden, she’s been blooming since May and has happily scrambled up the side of the garden shed, covering the vinyl siding (thankfully!) with a blanket of green, punctuated by dangling blue bells.
Panicle Hydrangea in full bloom
White is a wonderful color at any time of year, but I particularly like to use it in the late summer garden to tone down the bright yellows and pinks. This tree-form hydrangea is so heavy with blooms that I worry it’ll fall over! In the background you can see the Rhus ‘Tiger Eyes’ that has grown a little out of control, despite some pretty heavy pruning. I’m debating removing it this fall – particularly since it’s started to put up suckers around the garden.
Zucchini - lots of flowers buy no zukes
One of the most reliable bloomers in the garden over the past month has been this hybrid zucchini. Huge flowers all over – but only one zucchini so far. I’m not sure what’s going on (it’s not as though there aren’t enough critters to pollinate it) but at least the flowers are pretty.
Hibiscus seed pods
Finally, although they’re not exactly blooms, I like the seed pods from the white hardy hibiscus that has travelled with me from Michigan to Illinois to Connecticut. They’re almost as interesting as the flowers.
And that’s it from me today. Don’t forget to take a look at all the other beautiful garden blooms posted at May Dreams Gardens!
Happy gardening from Mountain View, CA!
Monica
The Departure of Woody Woodchuck
The trap was placed right beside the burrow
After Woody moved in last month (read the story here), I decided to leave him be for a while since he didn’t seem to be doing any noticeable damage. But all that changed when he started climbing the fence around the vegetable garden to munch on zucchini leaves, beans, and corn. Then he started on the Echinacea and Rudbeckia in the garden. That was the final straw – Woody had to go.
Since I couldn’t bring myself to use a ‘permanent solution’, we decided to trap and relocate him. Note that you should check your local state regulations before doing this – some states prohibit relocation of all trapped animals, while others disallow relocation of rabies-prone animals, such as skunk, fox, and raccoon.
Woody poses for his portrait
We borrowed a large Havahart trap, baited it with fresh lettuce and corn (from the vegetable garden), covered it with garbage bags (to make it look more like a tunnel than a trap), and carefully placed it at the entrance to the burrow. We weren’t sure whether or not it would work – we’d read that trapping groundhogs during the summer, when food is plenty, could be difficult. But this morning when I went out for my daily stroll around the garden, I heard an angry banging sound coming from behind the shed and I knew that Woody was now our “guest”. He’d eaten all our ‘offerings’ and was trying to pry open the trap door (which, thankfully, held fast).
Woody is now somewhere else – I’m not sure where and I don’t want to know. John drove off with him this morning and came back with an empty trap. I hope Woody’s found a good home and will continue his leisurely clover-chomping, sun bathing, and waddling around – as long as it’s not in my garden!
Here are some of the resources we used:
Woodchuck Control from MassWildlife
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Woody Woodchuck Loves My Garden
Big, fat, and happy
My mom was looking out my kitchen window the other week when she asked “What’s that big brown thing on the lawn?” I figured her eyesight was failing – there couldn’t be a big brown thing on the lawn since we don’t have a dog and Squiggy, the cat who thinks she’s a dog, is white and grey. But she insisted “Come and look – it’s just sitting there!” So I ambled over, looked out the window, and just about hit the roof. It was a huge, fat, and very happy looking woodchuck! In MY garden!
So, of course, I charged out into the garden yelling “Git! Get out of here!” (glad no one had a video camera to post that on YouTube!!) It looked at me, sat for a moment, and finally decided to make a run for it’s home – which turned out to be under my shed, beside the compost bins.
And now we’re at an impasse. Woody is living under the shed, eating all the veggies that poke out through the wire fencing around the vegetable garden, and basking in the sun on the lawn and stone pathway. I’m watching him through the kitchen window and dreaming about HavaHart traps and .22′s. The trap we have is big enough for a raccoon but I doubt Woody would fit. As for rifles, well…. not allowed within city limits. Besides, I can’t bring myself to shoot him (or anything else living for that matter – target practice only). So far he hasn’t made a meal out of any of my ornamental plants but I figure it’s just a matter of time….
Any ideas for how to handle Woody Woodchuck??
Build Your Own Butterfly Feeder
Who doesn’t love the sight of butterflies delicately fluttering about the garden? Many gardeners plant colorful flowers to attract butterflies, but few put out butterfly feeders—perhaps because they don’t know how easy it is to create a simple feeder that butterflies love. With only a few common household tools and materials that are available at your local grocery and/or hardware store, you can build a feeder that will attract butterflies of all types.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Plastic champagne glass
- Wooden dowel, 1/2” thick and at least 4’ long
- Plastic dishwashing scrubber (a bright color will work best)
- Length of clear plastic tubing, 1/2” in diameter
Building the feeder
"Champagne Cup" butterfly feeder
Cut the dowel to the desired length—about 4 feet will do. Cut off 2” of the plastic tubing and insert the dowel 1” into one end.
Take off the bottom of the plastic champagne glass so that you only have the top part (the cup) with the beginning of the stem attached. Insert the stem into the other end of the plastic tubing. Place the plastic sponge into the champagne bowl and fill it with butterfly nectar. And there you have it—your very own butterfly feeder! Place it in the flower garden where you can see it and you’ll soon be rewarded with flocks of butterflies.
Caring for your feeder
- Fill the feeder to the top with a solution of 10% sugar to 90% water—or use hummingbird food.
- Place the feeder in the sun.
- Grease the dowel with petroleum jelly or Pam to discourage ants from feeding.
- Change the solution every 2 days to prevent bacteria from growing.
- Clean the feeder with hot water only—do not use soap.
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A Visit with Hosta Expert Mike Shadrack
It's hard to do justice to this beautiful garden with only a photo...
During the recent Buffa10 garden bloggers get-together in Buffalo, we were fortunate enough to spend an afternoon with Mike Shadrack and Kathy Guest Shadrack in their beautiful garden. These two avid gardeners have created an oasis in the midst of the forest, filled with both hostas (Mike’s passion) and daylilies (Kathy’s favorite) of all shapes, colors, and sizes.
Mike is co-author of The New Encyclopedia of Hostas, the second edition of his classic work written with Diana Grenfell. I was lucky enough to buy a copy which Mike autographed while chatting about hosta growing, blogging, and birthdays. It’s a beautifully illustrated book, full of captivating hosta photos taken by Mike himself – some of them from his own garden. With complete growth and cultivation information for seven hundred cultivated hostas, this book has something for everyone.
Mike Shadrack and Monica Hemingway (aka Garden Junkie)
Walking around the lush plantings, it’s hard to believe that the Shadracks started building their garden only five years ago. But, as Kathy said, “With two avid gardeners who both enjoy creating beautiful outdoor spaces, what else would we be doing?” They’re created a number of distinct gardens within the larger space, including the daylily bank and the ‘octopus garden’, a unique rock garden in the shade of the forest. The property is divided by a small stream that runs right beneath the house, overlooked by a lovely stone patio and a wooden deck.
The Shadracks and their friends were kind enough to treat us to an English high tea – home-baked scones, clotted cream, strawberry jam, and tea served in fine china cups. Delicious! I couldn’t resist have seconds – and then thirds…
Miniature hostas in the 'Mouse Collection'
Mike has been busy breeding and growing miniature hostas; Kathy’s new book on miniature hostas will come out later this year. There were pots of miniatures scattered throughout the garden, each containing tiny descendants of a larger hosta. In the photo to the right, you can see a collection of miniatures derived from ‘Blue Mouse Ears Supreme’, including ‘Mouse Trap’, ‘Minnow Mouse’, and ‘Frosted Mouse Ears’.
Finally, there were all of those gorgeous daylilies. Much as I like hostas, I’m a sucker for a good daylily. I took tons of photos of the flowers and labels and will be ordering some in the near future!
A nice place to take a nap...
Clover in the Lawn
Ever wonder why clover seems to grow better in your lawn than the grass does? There are probably several reasons for this, including the following:
- The soil pH is too low or too high for lawn grass – but clover grows well in almost any pH
- The soil is deficient in important nutrients, especially nitrogen – clover thrives in nitrogen-deficient soil (white Dutch clover is an indicator plant for low nitrogen)
- The grass has been cut too short – longer grass shades and crowds out other plants, such as clover
- The grass doesn’t get enough water – stressed grass is less dense, leaving room for clover and other weeds
- The soil is compacted (usually due to lack of organic matter) – clover tolerates compacted soil better than lawn grass and has longer roots, enabling it to access water at deeper levels
So, what can you do about it? The best, organic, way to control this is to properly care for the lawn, mow high, water regularly so strong, thick, healthy growth is maintained, and feed the lawn properly.
However, you may want to consider leaving the clover alone. It wasn’t until recently, when herbicides became popular, that clover was considered a weed. In fact, lawn seed mixes used to include clover (such as white Dutch clover) – something that some seed providers are now starting to do again. Because clover takes nitrogen out of the air and soil and makes it available to your lawn, it helps the lawn grow healthier and more pest-resistant, and reduces the amount of fertilizer required. It also requires less frequent mowing, attracts honeybees and other pollinators, and breaks up compacted soil. The one drawback is that it doesn’t stand up to heavy foot traffic quite as well as lawn grass.
What does your lawn look like? Mine is a lovely swath of green – with beautiful white clover flowers throughout…
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Exuberant Container Plantings
We’ve all heard that containers should be filled with a “thriller, spiller, and filler”. But what colors do you choose? What happens when your container doesn’t allow for all three of these design elements? Or when your container is as large as some people’s garden? How do you decide which plants to use?
During a recent pre-tour of gardens on Garden Walk Buffalo, containers of all kinds were on full display. Everything from enthusiastic celebrations of vivid colors and unusual shapes, to simple, subdued collections of similar plants and colors. Window boxes, hanging baskets, and urns were found in nearly every garden. But more unusual containers could also be found, from old washtubs to Woolly Pockets to fungal growths. With a little imagination, there’s no limit to what can be used as a container!
Old washtubs provide a colorful display
Various shades of green create a stunning picture
The gardener at the house below had a real touch for the unusual. The driveway was filled with containers overflowing with plants of every kind – the containers were so closely packed that it looked like they were planted in the ground. But the most unusual part of the garden were the ‘containers’ on the fence…
Not your typical container...
One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make when planting containers is to plant too far apart. Most container plants are annuals so plant them close and fertilize regularly so that they grow quickly into lush, colorful plants that make an impact in the landscape. For more tips on growing gorgeous containers, click here.
Stuffed so full you can't even see out the window!
Another thing to keep in mind is that the container and plants should go with the style and color of the house. An uber-modern container in front of a Victorian house would probably look a little strange.
A calm, simple planting the complements the house
A colorful house needs a colorful container
Summer Plant Sales – Buyer Beware?
Garden centers generally see fewer customers during July and August. As a result, they often run sales to generate business. It’s not unusual to see discounts ranging from 20% to 50% on all sorts of plants and gardening materials. For example, Designs by Lee in Stamford has 20% off all perennials until the end of the month, Young’s in Wilton has 25% off everything until the 21st, and Sam Bridge in Greenwich just finished a sale in which trees were 50% off.
But is it worthwhile buying plant material in the middle of the summer? How healthy are the plants, and how likely are they to survive after you plant them?
Generally speaking, the selection of annuals, perennials, and grasses will be lower now than earlier in the season so you may not find the specific plants you’re looking for. For example, a search across several nurseries for Sedum ‘Matrona’ turned up not a single plant. On the other hand, nurseries often bring in new stock for shrubs, especially those that are in bloom now, such as hydrangea.
Nurseries want to sell plants—and diseased or damaged plants don’t sell. But, while they make a genuine effort to keep plants healthy, summer’s not the easiest time of year to maintain container- grown nursery stock. Expect to find powdery mildew on phlox and monarda, crispy edges on larger leaves, and leggy or bare-stemmed plants. Remove plants from their pots to check the roots —if they’re highly pot-bound or rotted, put the plant down and walk away. Check leaves and stems for insect pests and eggs—you don’t want to introduce new problems into your garden. On a recent nursery visit I saw Japanese beetles on most of the roses—definitely not something I want to bring home!
But, having said all that, summer sales can be a wonderful way to add to your garden at a reasonable price. Healthy plants should do fine if they’re watered well and given a little protection from the blazing sun. If you’re unsure about a specific plant, put it in a ‘nursery bed’ to see how it does and then move it into the garden in the fall or next spring.
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A Peek into the Gardens of Buffalo
A view into the back garden of Elizabeth Licata
Last week over 70 garden bloggers landed in Buffalo for Buffa10, three days of garden tours, networking, and dining (!) with fellow bloggers. While I looked forward to the event itself, I must admit that I was somewhat skeptical about the supposed quality of the gardens we’d be touring – Buffalo always makes me think of 10-foot deep snow drifts and an industrial landscape. But I was blown away by the many incredible gardens designed and tended by the intrepid gardeners of Buffalo.
The gateway into the incredible gardens of Gordon and Brian
One of the things that, to me, makes a garden so special is the entrance into the garden. Whether it’s a solid gate that hides the garden behind it until you step through, a wrought iron gate that gives you a partial glipmse of the garden beyond, or an arbor that gives a sense of arrival without blocking the view, the garden entrance sets the stage for what’s to come. Let me take you through the gates and entranceways of a few of Buffalo’s best gardens…
A glimpse into a formal garden
The shaded entrance into a sunny garden
Twelve Smart Watering Practices
More than 50% of our water consumption takes place in our gardens. But there are easy ways to reduce our water usage, with the benefit of stronger plants, less maintenance, lower water bills and decreased demand on natural resources.
Install a Drip System – Installing a drip irrigation system in your planting beds will put water at the root system where the soil will absorb the water, preventing run-off. You can save up to 60 percent of the water used by sprinklers.
Water Roots, Not Leaves – If you don’t have a drip irrigation system, use a hose to water deep into the roots, rather than spraying the leaves. Watering just the leaves of a plant increases water loss through evaporation.
Use an Efficient Sprinkler – Drip irrigation works well in planting beds, but not so well on lawns. If you water your lawn, use an efficient lawn sprinkler. A sprinkler can use as much water in an hour as a family of four will use in a day! Oscillating sprinklers use much more water and are less efficient than misting ones.
Inspect Sprinklers Often – Check your sprinkler system frequently for leaks and kinks.
Water Plants, Not Pavement – Adjust sprinklers so water reaches only your lawn and garden, not the house, sidewalk, or street.
Use a Timer – A forgotten sprinkler can waste more than 250 gallons of water an hour. A timer makes sure you never forget.
Stop the Flow – Use a springloaded hose sprayer / nozzle or hose-end turn-off device so you don’t waste water while walking back to the faucet to turn it off.
Water Less Often – Healthy lawns don’t need nearly the amount of water as we think they do. If grass springs back up after you walk on it, it doesn’t need water. You could also let your lawn go dormant for the summer; most grasses rebound when rains return in fall.
Water Deeply – Water infrequently, deeply, and thoroughly. This stops wasteful runoff and encourages roots to spread deeper. Plants with deep roots develop greater tolerance to dry spells.
Watch the Weather – If rain is in the forecast, don’t water. After a good rain, hold off on watering until the soil dries out. And if the weather is cool and/or humid, cut back on the frequency and volume of water.
Water Early in the Day – Avoid watering during the heat of the day – most of it will evaporate before it reaches the roots. Water early in the day to decrease evaporation. Avoid windy days for the same reason.
Prioritize Watering – Focus on those areas that need a little more care, rather than watering everything in the same way. For example, new plants need more frequent watering than established trees and shrubs.
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